Liturgy Training Publications receives many questions regarding the Roman Missal. Here are several of the most frequently asked questions with answers. Feel free to contact us if you have questions not addressed on this page.

A: To answer this question, we need to know something about the process that produced previous translations of the Roman Missal. Since the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council on December 8, 1965, we have had three typical editions of the Roman Missal in Latin. A “typical edition” is the official Latin text that all of the approved translation groups use, regardless of the language into which the Latin text is translated.

ICEL and Vatican IIThe International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), is the translation commission approved by the Holy See. It was founded October 17, 1963, after the decision at the Second Vatican Council to allow the public celebration of the Mass and the sacraments in the vernacular. Considered a mixed commission, ICEL is composed of several Episcopal Conferences in which the number of people desiring to celebrate the liturgy in English is substantial.

The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy [CSL] (Sacrosanctum Concilium) mandated the revision of the liturgical books. “The liturgical books are to be revised as soon as possible; experts are to be employed on the task, and bishops are to be consulted, from the various parts of the world,” CSL, 25. Continuing the instruction on the norms of translation, CSL, 36.4, states: “Translations from the Latin text into the mother tongue intended for use in the liturgy must be approved by the competent territorial ecclesiastical authority mentioned above.”

In addition to the full members are the associate members—the numerous Episcopal Conferences in which Mass and the sacraments are celebrated in English among other languages. ICEL’s associate members are from the following conferences: Antilles, Bangladesh, CEPAC (Episcopal Conference of the Pacific), Gambia-Liberia-Sierra Leone, Ghana, Kenya, Malaysia-Singapore, Malawi, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea and the Solomons, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It is apparent that the influence of ICEL is worldwide.

Weaknesses in the First English Edition of the Roman MissalIn 1969, the First Edition of the Roman Missal in English was published. To meet the demand by clergy and the laity to celebrate a vernacular liturgy as soon as possible, ICEL rushed the translation of the Latin text into English. In so doing, the English liturgy was often introduced with inadequate catechetical instruction. Additionally, some priests experimented with changes not called for and not allowed by the Holy See and our Bishops. Realizing these problems, the office known today as the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments issued clarifications on the correct implementation of the vernacular in the liturgy. However, the problems experienced with the introduction of the vernacular were deeper than first thought.

Problems in the English First Edition

Some of the obvious connections with scripture in the Latin text were lost in the English translation.

References in the Latin text to the homilies of the Fathers of the Church and influential authors such as Pope Leo the Great were no longer apparent.

The poetry, rhyme, and rhythm of the Latin language were lost in the new translations. To make the text more understandable to a modern audience, some of the metaphors from the Latin text were eliminated in the English translation.

Often the use of the superlative degree in adjectives referring to God were eliminated.

Viewed as duplicative and unnecessary to prayer, so words and sentences in the Latin text were never translated.

At times, explanatory comments not found in the Latin text were added to the English texts, creating texts which went beyond the mandate to provide a faithful translation of the Latin in the vernacular.

The English translation was viewed as lacking a sense of solemnity and sacredness, too difficult to sing, oversimplified and inaccurate in many places.

Weaknesses in the Second EditionIn 1975, the Second Edition of the Roman Missal in English was issued. It was more complete than the first edition. The first edition had needed a revision to put it in accord with the documents and directives issued since the publication of the first edition, for example, the June 29, 1970, Instruction on the Extension of Distributing Holy Communion under Both Kinds and the September 5, 1970, Third Instruction on the Orderly Carrying out of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. However, much of the translation of the Second Edition of the Roman Missal was the same as the rushed translation of the first edition.

The attention of our Bishops in the 1970s was often directed to providing the necessary catechesis on the changes in the liturgy that was not provided prior to the introduction of the reformed liturgy. In addition, there was a pressing need to correct abuses in the celebration of the liturgy. Many will remember the unapproved Eucharistic Prayers that some priests used, the invitation to the congregation to recite parts of the Eucharistic Prayer with the priest, priests and readers changing the wording of the official texts, and a general disregard for the rubrics.

In addition to the need for catechesis on the Mass and the need to correct abuses, the Bishops also had the task of providing catechesis on the sacraments whose texts were being revised. Moreover, new approaches, such as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) and the Directory for Masses with Children, needed to be explained and implemented. Training programs for new liturgical ministries needed to be provided. ICEL worked overtime to provide the English translation for all the sacraments and documents coming from Rome. With so many tasks at hand, it was decided that, rather than completely reworking the English text, major weaknesses of the first edition would be corrected.

That decision left the following major problems in the English translation of the second edition of the Roman Missal:

Too often the translation paraphrased the Latin text, thus losing much of the richness of metaphor and imagery from the original.

Creative additions in English not found in the Latin text made some of the prayers look like new compositions rather than translations.

Superficial contemporary expressions and phrases in English continued to rob the Roman liturgy of its richness.

The sacred language of the liturgy seemed to be lost by the more secular usages that were employed.

Some complained of a loss of awe and mystery that the celebration of the liturgy should engender. Since liturgy is formative of our Catholic faith (the Latin principle of lex orandi lex credendi), many people expressed the need for the liturgical language in the vernacular to more faithfully capture the sacredness and poetry of the Latin text.

The Third Edition of the Roman MissalIn 2002, Pope John Paul II promulgated the Third Edition of the Roman Missal. More than 15 percent of the texts in the third edition are new, due to the large number of new saintsPope John Paul II canonized and the requests by our Bishops for new texts to address special circumstances, for example, wedding anniversaries and funerals. Since 2002, major efforts have been made to translate this Third Typical Edition of the Roman Missal into English. Fortunately, the translation has been guided by several new decrees addressing the questions raised by our Bishops and their consultants regarding the norms for translating Latin into English.

To reach consensus on a translation that will receive the approval of two-thirds of the member Episcopal Conferences of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) is a time-consuming task. Some Episcopal Conferences only meet once a year. Many Episcopal Conferences (like the USCCB) have voted on the Missal in parts, as soon as ICEL issued a Grey Book version of a section of the Missal. And so, while the finished product is more than 1,000 pages, the preliminary work in approving parts of the Missal as the translation became available speeds up the likelihood that the full members of ICEL will approve the final document.

A: Rubrics are the instructions provided in ritual books for how to celebrate the rites properly. The word rubric comes from the Latin adjective for "red", ruber. Rubrics are usually noted in red to be easily distinguished from the other texts.

Q: When will the third edition of the Roman Missal receive recognitio?

A:

The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments announced recognitio on April 30, 2010.

Q: Will the scripture readings be affected by the revised translation?

A: The revised translation of the Roman Missal will only affect the prayers, chants, antiphons, and rubrics (instructions). The readings in the Lectionary will not be affected.

Q: The Order of Mass is available to review at www.USCCB.org. Does this mean we can use the texts now?

A: The texts of the revised translation cannot be used at this time. Only when the Holy Father gives recognitio and promulgates the texts for liturgical use can these texts be used. When the texts receive recognitio, a date for implementation will be set. This date will be posted on this Web site. Until then, you may review the texts of the Order of Mass at www.USCCB.org for catechetical purposes only. These texts may not be used in the liturgy.

Q: What is promulgation?

A: After a document receives recognitio (final approval) from the Holy Father, he promulgates the texts as binding law, or, puts into effect for use. Promulgation is, essentially, the announcement to the public that there is a new, binding law, which we will begin to follow on a set date.

Q: When will the English translation be promulgated?

A:

On August 20, it was announced that the revised Roman Missal will be implemented for liturgical use on November 27, 2011, the First Sunday of Advent.

Q: Will new musical settings for the Mass parts be made available?

A: Composers are hard at work preparing new musical settings for the revised translation. Music publishers such as OCP, GIA, and WLP will have these texts available for purchase once the English translation receives the recognitio; however, music ministers should be aware, that these new settings can't be used in the liturgy until the Roman Missal is promulgated for liturgical use.

Q:

Will the revised translation affect the General Instruction of the Roman Missal?

A: Slight modifications have been made to the English translation of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. A new edition of this document will be available once the missal receives recognitio. It will also be published in the Roman Missal.

Preserve biblical references by referring to the Neo-Vulgate, the current Catholic version of the Latin Bible.

Avoid exaggerated dependence on modern modes of expression and in general from psychologizing language.

Strive to use inclusive language whenever possible without resorting to cumbersome constructions in English that hinder the legitimate use of nouns and pronouns capable of referring to both the masculine and the feminine in a single term.

The traditional grammatical gender of the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) should be maintained.

Expressions such as “Son of Man” and the “Fathers of the Church” are to be translated exactly as found in biblical and liturgical texts.

Do not extend or restrict the meaning of the original term used in Latin.

Avoid using any terms that recall publicity slogans or those that have political, ideological, or similar overtones.

Maintain continuity as much as possible between the original and vernacular texts.

Aim to create a language with a distinctive liturgical style suitable for worship, in accord with popular Catholic usage and major catechetical texts.

Translate literally words referring to figurative language, for example, the “finger,” the “hand,” the “face” of God, or of God “walking” among us, etc.

Maintain distinctive features that incorporate biblical imagery.

Develop a dignified vernacular liturgy for worship, and attend to matters of syntax, style, and literary genre.

Maintain relationships between clauses, parallel constructions, distinctive terms and metaphors found in the Latin text.

Attend to the ease of public proclamation when a text is read aloud or sung.

Specific norms regarding the translation of Eucharistic Prayers and the Creed are given (for example, return to “I believe” to translate the Latin word “Credo” in the Creed).

Clarifications of the process of translation to be followed and the need for obtaining approval, the recognitio, from Rome prior to any text being used.

Q: What is ICEL?

A: The International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL), is the translation commission approved by the Holy See. It was founded October 17, 1963, after the decision at the Second Vatican Council to allow the public celebration of the Mass and the sacraments in the vernacular. Considered a mixed commission, ICEL is composed of several Episcopal Conferences in which the number of people desiring to celebrate the liturgy in English is substantial.

A: In the early years of the Church, several different books were used for the celebration of the Mass--a Sacramentary that included the priest’s prayers, a Lectionary that included the readings, an Evangeliary or Book of the Gospels containing just the readings of the Gospel. Later on, books began to be prepared that were complete in themselves. This kind of book was known as a “Missale Plenum,” that is, “complete missal” (the Latin “missalis” means having to do with the Mass). From the time of the Council of Trent, there was one book that contained both the readings and the prayers for the Mass, called the Missale Romanum.

Following the Second Vatican Council, with the vast expansion of the readings used at the liturgy, one-volume editions became impractical, and the tradition of separate Sacramentaries and Lectionaries was restored. However, the term “Missal Romanum” is still used to describe the Latin edition of what we had been calling the Sacramentary. With the revised translation, the name of the book, Missale Romanum, is translated as Roman Missal.